NB 2 - At the restaurant

Dear students & readers of this blog,

In the last few weeks, in our classroom, we have been revising the vocabulary of food, and the concepts of 'countable' & 'uncountable', the use of 'some' & 'any' and also, some more vocabulary related to the use of partitive expressions ('a piece of') and of containers ('a bottle of'). The time comes to practice all that. And is there a better occasion than when we eat out at a restaurant?

Any of us might be thinking of going to an English-speaking country, so we will need some help to be successful when we need to go somewhere to have a nice meal. Here are some tips that might help you complete what you can find in your textbooks:

The WAITER will say things like:

• Can I help you?
• Do you have a reservation?
• How many are you?
• Follow me, please.
• Can I take your order, sir/madam?
• What would you like to start with/to drink/ for main course/ for dessert?
• Excellent choice!
• Enjoy your meal!
• Is everything all right? 
• Did you enjoy your meal?
• Are you paying together or separate?

 The CUSTOMER will say things like:

• A table for two, please.
• Can we sit at this table, please? / Can I have a table by the window, please?
• Can I have the menu, please?
• What can you recommend?
• We're not ready yet.
• I'll have the steak / I'd like the steak / the steak for me, please.
• I'll have the same / the same for me, please.
• Just water, please.
• That's all, thank you.
• It's delicious, thank you.
• Can I have the bill, please?
• This is on me.
• Can I pay by credit card?

Here is a SAMPLE DIALOGUE:

W: Good afternoon sir/madam. Do you have a reservation?
C1: Good afternoon. Yes. My name is Martin.
W: Very well, sir. A reservation for two, right?
C1: Yes, that's right. Can we have a table by the window?
W: I'll see what I can do. (After a few minutes) Follow me, please.
C1: Can we have the menu, please?
W: Of course, sir. Here you are.
W: What would you like to drink.
C1: I'll have some wine. And you?
C2: Just water for me, please
...

W: Are you ready to order?
C1: Can we have a minute, please? We're not ready yet.
W: Of course, sir.
...

W: Are you ready to order now?
C1: Yes. For starters, we'll have the salad, please.
W: And for the main course?
C1: I'll have the seafood spaghetti, and my wife the mushroom ravioli with cream sauce.
W: Very well, sir.
...

W: Here is your food. Enjoy your meal!
C1 & 2: Thank you!
...

W: Would you like anything for dessert?C1: Nothing for me, thank you.
C2: The strawberry cheescake for me, please.
W: Excellent choice, madam.
...

W: How was everything?
C1: Delicious, thank you. Can we have the bill, please?
W: Yes sir. Here you are.
C1: Can I pay by credit card?
W: Yes, sir. Thank you very much.
C1&2: Thank you.

And to finish, some humour with...MR BEAN!

Enjoy your meal!!!